Kiss Me Fool
by Caraluna
Summary: She is in love with her best friend, but he is in love with someone else. Or is he? JasonTrini
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: I promised myself I would write another Jason/Trini fic when real life slowed down a bit. But seen as that isn't really going to happen I had to write this story that has been runing around in my head for a long time. I had never heard this song before, I don't know when the song came out or who the singer is. All I know is that I found a Jason/Trini mvid on youtube and this story kind of spiraled out of control from there. _****_I'd like to acknoledge the creator of the mvid fluffythefluffkeeper, even though I don't know who you are or if you'll read this the muse to this story came to me thanks to you... _**

**_Disclaimer: Disney owns the Power Rangers and makes millions of them. I use them for inspiration and make nada of them._ **

* * *

**Kiss Me Fool**

**I**

_Tell me who should I be to make you love me?\_

_Tell me what does it mean to be alone?_

_Kiss Me Fool,__Fefe__ Dobson_

_It was about damn time!"_

His best friend was happy for him. Why wouldn't he be? He was going to get married.

Jason Lee Scott was going to get married.

The tall brawny man sighed and pressed his hand over his face in frustration. It didn't matter how many times he told himself, the fact just didn't seem to sink in.

When he called his best friend to let him know he had made the decision, Tommy had joked around telling him he was glad he had overcome his fear of commitment and that everything was going to be alright.

And Jason believed him, after all his life was hardly going to change. He and his girlfriend were already almost living together. But still the idea of marriage seemed too oppressing and final to him.

He loved Emily.

They had been together for almost 10 years on and off. She had stuck with him through the good and the bad, well almost. He could name a few times she had turn her back on him, but it wasn't fair to keep those times against her. He had been keeping a big secret from her since the beginning.

He was an ex Power Ranger, one of the original rangers, their leader. That's why things were bound to happen. Once a ranger, always a ranger. He couldn't just ignore his fellows if they needed him.

But Emily couldn't understand the strange calls in the middle of the night. His constant coming up with excuses as to why she couldn't go with him to meetings with friends, and least of all his disappearances for days at a time.

Maybe Tommy, Andros, Wes, Zhane and all the others had the right idea. Maybe rangers were only supposed to have relationships with other rangers. Things will definitely be simpler.

But then again Tommy had two failed relationships with pink rangers. Andros and Ashley had a messy breakup. Wes and Jen had to separate because she had to go back to her own time. And Zhane… We'll he had gotten it right. Zhane and Korone had been married for two years and so far they had made their marriage work.

It had to be cold feet. And maybe Tommy was right, not that he was ever going to admit it to him… He did had a little, kind of, sort of, maybe a bit of fear towards commitment.

Everything was going to work out. He was going to propose and he was going to get married.

He loved Emily and she loved him, and that was all that mattered.

**-New York City-**

Love sucked!

She threw her keys on the coffee table and dropped unceremoniously on the couch.

Her arms hugged her middle as she frowned at the wall in front of her. Why did she always fell for the most inappropriate men?

It was all _his_ fault. Everything started with _him_ in elementary school. She had fallen completely head over heels in love with her best friend and all went downhill from there.

No, she wasn't even going to go there. Cause right now it was about the one whose name rhymed with 'ick' and sick and prick.

And one word in particular who her mother would blush if she ever heard her say.

Ah what the hell, her mother was miles away and she wasn't really talking…

_Dick!_ There she said it. Nick the Dick! He was the reason her love life was such a mess.

He was the one who walked into her office with those big blue eyes and beautiful dimples. He was so sure of himself and so damn alluring. Wearing his tailor made suits, Italian leather shoes and smelling so damn good…

She in the other hand was a little bit plain and understated. She had devoted her life to her work and that left little time for fashion.

She had two looks: no nonsense civil rights attorney for the UN, black or gray pant suits with yellow button down blouse. Or laidback ex ranger, jeans or yoga pants with her token yellow shirt.

At first sight Trini Kwan had a snowball's chance in hell with a man like Nick Deveroux.

But to everyone's surprise he had chosen her.

He was a very persistent man. Sending flowers, chocolates and calling every day. Coming to her office and refusing to leave until she agreed to go out to lunch with him.

She was only human. And no red blooded woman would have been immune to Nick's charm.

Their relationship built slowly, but Trini was sure that it was steady. Nick was sweet and caring, completely understanding with her.

The lying bastard!

All the time he was promising Trini the stars and the moon. He was also out and about screwing every woman who was available for the taking.

She knew she was a smart woman, but she had played a fool. The worst thing was that Nick had kept pursuing her, even after she had found him doing his secretary on his desk.

Trini had been heartbroken. She really had thought that Nick was the one…

_Good girls finished last._

She had always known that was a fact. But Nick had come to really make her learn the lesson.

Tired of having thinking about it, Trini stood from the couch and walked to the kitchen of her apartment. She grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack, a glass from the cupboard and a matchbox from the drawer. On her way back she remembered she needed something to open the wine with so she turned back around.

After turning all the lights off, she lighted a few candles over the coffee table and along the mantle of her fireplace. She stood in front of a picture and smiled sadly at it. Her friends smiled back at her, 10 ex rangers, all in their defined colors in front of the huge Christmas tree in the Angel Grove Dojo. The picture had been taken a few years back, the last time they had all been together in Angel Grove.

Looking at the smiling faces she wondered how they were doing. If they knew how much she needed them, how much she missed them and wished they were together…

Taking the picture frame with her she sat on the couch and took off her shoes. She poured some wine on her glass and took the yellow afghan from the back of couch and placed it over her shoulders.

With a remote control she turned the stereo on and soon the soft lyrics started to serenade her.

**-Angel Grove-**

The bike revved up as it zoomed along the cliff roads. The world flew around him and for the first time he felt free.

The smile on his face widen as he got closer to his favorite spot. Slowly he made his way up the mountain and started to slow down the bike.

A couple of minutes later he was unzipping his brown leather jacket and overlooking the city of Angel Grove, his brown hair was tussled, the blood rushing on his veins and his heart pounding in his chest.

That was the reason he loved his bike. It made him feel alive.

Free…

But he didn't want to be free. He wanted to be with Emily, get married and have a family.

_Then why has it been so difficult._

Jason took off his sunglasses and stared out at the city. He could see all the way up to the beach.

He turned around and faced the city limits. And wondered if he could find the ruins of the Command Center alone…

All of the sudden the realization of what was happening to him hit him. For years he had been drifting from his loyalties as a Power Ranger and his life as an ordinary man.

He needed to find some common ground between the two.

He needed something to anchor him.

_"To friendship…" Jason said with a smile._

_"And the unbreakable connection between everyone that has and will possess the power." _

_Trini's__ smile was genuine but the sadness was evident in her eyes. No matter how many years it's been since they last saw each other, he still could read her as if they were still in elementary school. Trini would always be an open book to him._

_Jason reached out his Champaign glass with a silly grin on his face. _

_"Let's take a picture guys!" Aisha said from the other side of the room. _

_"Over here. Next to this amazing tree that Adam and Kat decorated for us." Rocky said a little tipsy already from the Champaign. _

_"Hey notice the white. I helped, if I hadn't we would've had a black, green and pink Christmas!" Tommy added with a fake frown. _

_"Yeah, at least you remembered the red turbo thing." Zack grinned as he stood next to the once fearless leader._

_"I like the tree." Billy stood looking at it. _

_"I bet you've never seen one quite as this." Adam said with a proud smile._

_"They don't celebrate Christmas on __Aquitar__ so I haven't seen one in a while. But you are right this one is rather peculiar."_

_"Well then I'm glad you made it back, Billy." Trini said as she walked over to where everybody was standing._

_"I only have one question." Tanya asked as she and Kim made their way to their places._

_"What's that?" Adam asked as he stood next to her._

_"Where the hell did you find little Power Rangers with Christmas hats?" She asked Kat holding a small yellow __Zeo__ Ranger that was hanging from the tree._

_"Oh that wasn't me." Kat clarified as she took another sip from her Champaign glass. _

_"I bought them from a small novelty shop that just opened up at the mall." Kim said proudly. _

_"You've only been in Angel Grove for a day. When did you find time to go to the mall?" Jason said as he approached the petite brunette. _

_"Jason, there's always time to go to the mall." Kim answered in all seriousness. _

_"I'm so glad to have you back." Jason said as he hugged her._

_"Hey! I haven't been around for a while either, you know. It'll be nice to know you've missed me at least a little bit." Trini said from behind them._

_Jason turned around and came face to face with his best friend. Without warning he picked her up and twirled her around. In between whistles and jokes from their friends, he managed to talk to her right on her ear. "I've missed you a world."_

_"The camera is ready, guys! Say cheese!" Aisha said as she ran toward the group._

_Trini managed to turn around in Jason's arms in time to see the flash go off. _

The memory hit him like a bucket of ice water. And in that moment he realized that his friends where the only ones who could actually understand what he was feeling.

**-NYC-**

A couple of hours later, the scented candles had burn out and the bottle of wine was half empty. Trini was lying curled on the couch, her tears already dry, her pain dull and her soul bare.

The music had long ended and now the only sound that serenaded her was the faint buzz of New York City's night life 14 floors below.

With a soft sigh, Trini sat upon the couch and stared out the window. The full moon was shining its pale yellow light inside her living room. She took the picture of her friends in her hands and looked down taking in the faces staring back at her. Her thumb traced along each one until she got to her own.

She looked happy, more than she had in a long time. Slowly she traced her fingers over the arms of the man holding her. Jason's head was on her shoulder and his whole face was glowing.

A small shiver ran over her body at the sight of his big brown eyes.

He was her best friend… and the biggest reminder of everything she would never have.

Her quiet meditation broke with the shrill sound of her cell. Looking at the offending object she dropped the picture on her lap and extended her arm over the back of the sofa and to the small end table where her yellow phone was vibrating.

She took the phone and stared at the screen as if it were displaying the image of one of Rita's monsters… Her breath faltered as she realized it was a number from California.

From Angel Grove to be more precise.

She looked back at the picture and frowned. But as soon as she made up her mind to answer, the phone stopped ringing. That was when she expelled the breath she didn't know she was holding.

**-AG-**

Jason stood there, looking over the cliff at the city bellow him. He closed the phone and

held it for a moment before he slipped it back into his pocket, his fingers grazing the red satin bag that held the engagement ring and his heart skipped a beat.

He looked down at his watch and realized it was time for him to go back home.

And Jason still hadn't figured out exactly how he was going to pop the question.

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**_A/N 2: So... Do you like it? Want me to continue?_**


	2. Chapter 2

**II**

_Can't you see me standing staring out from the distance..._

_Hear my cry if you'd only listen..._

_Kiss Me Fool, __Fefe__ Dobson_

He was getting married.

Jason Lee Scott, her best friend.

The man she had secretly loved for 20 years was getting married.

A faint cracking sound made her blink back at the computer screen. There it was, in black and white.

She heard the cracking sound again. That was definitely the sound of her heart breaking.

Trini had been checking her e-mails for a while. She was about to sign off when she came across the weekly Angel Grove Update. Aisha had taken it upon herself to send each and every one of the Original Mighty Morphing Power Rangers that lived outside of California an e-mail with random info about the life of the ones that were living in the city.

Usually Trini enjoyed reading the AG Update. It was almost always filled with absurd stories about Rocky and his Dojo or Adam and his adventures as a cop. Some of the times it was just a huge diatribe from Aisha about the pros and cons of becoming a veterinarian. Even Tanya's monthly '_I'm a real life ex superhero turned pop singer, why am I not famous yet?'_ excerpt made her wish she was there for her friends.

But today it was all about Jason. And in any other circumstance it would have made her happy.

Reading about her best friend and how much he missed her and wished she was there was always the highlight of her week.

Today's news was not what she expected. Instead of making her day shine, the news made her nauseous.

Her entire afternoon was ruined.

Hell, her entire hopeful existence was ruined.

She knew that Jason was in a committed relationship with Emily aka 'the blond biker babe' and that he would never be interested in her as anything more than a friend.

But still the idea of Jason getting married seemed too final.

It made the fact the he was never going to see her as more than a friend too real.

Too damn hard to process at all.

Closing her laptop Trini found her bag and her phone and walked out of her office without another glance.

**//-//**

There wasn't any other words to describe him… he was simply a coward.

The first leader of the Power Ranger was a damn coward and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

It had been over a month since he made the decision.

Almost three weeks since he bought the ring.

And he still hadn't had the_ balls_ to actually speak up and ask his girlfriend to marry him.

Some hero he turned out to be.

Jason walked inside the bar and made his way inside and found his friends sitting at the bar.

Adam and Rocky were in the middle of some mindless bickering when Jason approached the table and took a sit.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. I had a meeting that ran a bit over."

Rocky turned around and called the bartender over. "Could you get us another round? Want a beer, J?"

"Make it a shot of tequila."

Both Adam and Rocky looked at each other and raced a brow in question.

Jason sat in the stool and loosened his tie. The bartender placed the shot in front of him and he didn't even bother with the salt and lemon. Downing the golden liquid in one swift motion, he turned and faced the bewildered faces of his friends.

"So you want to talk about it now, or after the third one?" Rocky asked with a smirk.

"There's not much to talk about. Except the fact that the ex leader of the…"

Adam's eyes grew wide and he hastily interrupted. "Whoa, wait a minute there. We get the point."

"I wasn't going to finish that, you know. I'm not drunk… yet." Jason waved the bartender over and slid the shot glass over to the man to be refilled. "And keep them coming."

"Do you think that's wise? I mean, considering its only 5:30 in the afternoon."

Jason turned to look at Rocky and smiled. "That much better, because then I have more time to get stinking drunk and forget that I, Jason Lee Scott, I'm a freaking coward!"

Both Adam and Rocky looked at Jason's miserable face and both took a drink from their own beer bottles. This was going to be a long night.

//-//

The door to her apartment opened abruptly and Trini stumbled inside with her arms around a half empty bottle of tequila. She closed the door and slowly made her way into the living room.

She dropped to the floor in front of the coffee table. Setting her purse on the floor, she placed the bottle in front of herself.

Trini had trouble trying to open the bottle. But once she did, she didn't even bother with a glass as she downed the burning liquid.

_"Whoa, be careful there Angel." _

The memory was painfully clear.

_Jason was sitting next to her on the floor of her dorm and she was heartbroken._

_She started to cough as soon as the liquid started to go down her throat. _

_Jason ran his hand down her back in a sweet comforting caress. _

_When she looked up at him he had a sweet caring smile on his face and something stirred inside of her._

_Jason's fingers caressed a lock of her raven hair. "Everything it's going to be alright."_

_"I know it is. But right now it hurts too much." _

_Her tear stained face turned toward him and Jason pulled her close in a protective embrace._

_After a couple of minutes, Trini moved back and ran her hands over her face._

_"It's not fair." She said running her hands through her hair._

_"What?" Jason said while he filled both shot glasses again. _

_"Life…Love."_

_"No one ever said it was." _

_"That's because no one ever, is stupid." _

_Jason looked up at her and found her with a cute little pout on her lips. _

_"I think you've had enough tequila." He said moving her glass out of her reach._

_"No. I want another one." She took the glass from him. _

_With a trembling hand Trini picked up the salt shaker and put a pinch on the inside of her wrist. Dropping the shaker on the table she grabbed a wedge of lemon and proceeded to lick the salt and suck on the lemon. After she downed the hot liquid, she slammed the glass on the table and smiled back at Jason. His eyes were fixated on her mouth. He drank his shot straight._

_"I finally got it."_

_"Got what?" Jason asked shaking his head._

_"I'm cursed." _

_"What?" _

_"I'm cursed, jinx. I have bad __mojo__." Trini declared with a slap of her hand over the table._

_"What are you talking about?" Jason frowned at her, utterly confused. _

_"I'm not meant to find love."_

_"And you came to that conclusion because Henry cheated on you? Come on you are smarter than that." _

_"Oh, no it's not just Henry.__ It's Brian and Richie and you…" She trailed off not realizing Jason's eyes growing wide._

_"W-what do you mean, me?"_

_Trini looked up to find his face pale as a ghost and she panicked. __"No, not you.__ I, no… don't be silly Jason. Not you as in you. I wasn't saying you. I was just, not finished." _

_"Okay." _

_"I was saying that it was Henry, Brian, Richie and you…You know that Billy never saw me as more than a friend." Trini bit her lip hoping he believe her lie._

_Jason's face fell a little and he downed another shot of tequila. _

_"Blind nerd…" He mumbled angrily. _

_"What?" _

_"I heard. I heard about Billy, Richie and Brian. But that doesn't mean you are jinxed." _

_"Well I'm swearing off men forever." Her resolution was clear in her voice._

_"You are just saying that because you are hurt."_

_"I'm saying it because I don't like it."_

_"You don't like what?" _

_"I don't like feeling empty, being played for a fool…Loving someone who doesn't love me back." _

_Trini moved closer to Jason on the floor, her legs tangled up with his. Her eyes moist with the tears that were threatening to fall down. Jason sat closer to her wrapping his arms around her protectively. _

_"Trini, you are smart and funny and caring. I'm pretty sure there are other guys out there who would die to be on the receiving end of one of your devastatingly beautiful smiles. It's not fair to them to deny them a chance."_

_The back of his hand caressed her cheeks softly and his eyes locked with hers… _

The faint sound of her phone brought her out of her reverie.

Trini put down the bottle of tequila and started to fumble through her purse. When she wasn't able to find the object, she simply took the purse with both hands and emptied the contents on the floor.

The yellow phone fell on the carpet and opened. Trini heard a voice calling her name.

"Kimmie? Is that you?" Trini yelled to the phone, but didn't pick it up.

_"Trini, can you hear me?"_

"Kim, wait I can't hear you."

Crawling a bit towards where the phone was, Trini sat back and picked up the phone from the floor.

"Hello."

_"Hey babe.__ How are you doing?" _Kimberly's voice was perkier than usual.

"Fiiiine. You?" Trini moved closer to the table and tried to pick up the bottle, but it was still out of reach.

_"Same old, same old.__ Busy as always. __You?__Anything new?"_Kim asked suspiciously.

"Oh no, nothing new. I found the guys I was dating cheating on me with his secretary a few weeks ago, and a couple hours ago I got the news that the man I have been in love with for 20 years is going to propose to his long time girlfriend. Same old, same old."

Trini crawled back closer to the table and sat up on her heels. She heard Kimberly take a deep breath and after a few seconds she spoke again.

"You read the update too. That's why you are calling, isn't it?"

_"Yes, I was worried about you. How are you taking it?"_

"Very well. In fact, I'm working on forgetting about Jason Lee Scott as we speak."

_"What do you mean?" _

"José is doing a great job of making me forget." Trini took the bottle of tequila in her hands and took a long drink.

_"José?__ Who's José? Trini please tell me you didn't do something stupid."_

"Stupid? Like call Jason and tell him I love him and to please not to break my heart again? No I didn't do that. That's why I walked out of my office and straight into the corner bar and picked up José."

_"Oh god!__ Is this José someone you know? Is he there with you right now?" _Kimberly was starting to freak out.

"Of course he is. He is taking good care of me."

_"Put him on the phone." _

Trini started to giggle uncontrollably.

"You are so silly, Kimmie"

_"Are you drunk? This guy is taking advantage of you…" _

Trini had taken a shot of tequila, but had to spit a bit so she could stop her friend mid sentence.

"Kim, there is no guy here right now. I'm with José Cuervo, the tequila guy."

_"Trini Kwan, please don't do that ever again! You almost gave me a heart attack." _

"I want to be numb. But it's not working."

Trini's voice broke and the tears started to spill from her almond shape eyes.

_"You know what, that's it. I'm going to take a plane and I'll be there tomorrow morning." _

"No. You don't have to. I know you are very busy with the new fashion fall show line thingy…"

_"Damn it. I know I shouldn't leave in the middle of the Fashion Show week, but I want to be there for you."_

"Thank you, but I think I have to do this alone. I need to do this alone. I have to make myself stop loving Jason Lee Scoot once and for all."

//-//

Jason was lying down on his bed alone.

He was faintly aware that his friends had walked in up the stairs and into his apartment a couple of hours ago. But how in the world did he strip down to his underwear was beyond him.

Tequila usually had that effect on him.

Maybe that's why his ceiling was still spinning and his memory was still hazy.

_"I don't want to get married."_

_Rocky and Adam looked up to find Jason's gaze. _

_"Have you asked Emily yet?" _

_"No. because I don't want to."_

_"You should sit down and tell her that."Adam told his friend thoughtfully._

_"Oh I have, and she made it clear that either I propose in the next few months or she'll leave me."_

_"Damn! That's cold man." Rocky added._

_"We've been together for almost 10 years. On again, off again. __Happy, fighting, but always together."_

_"Do you love her?" Adam asked._

_"Of course I…" Jason's voice trailed off. After a minute he looked at his friend. "I don't know." _

The reality of his confession hit him like a cold shower.

Jason was supposed to be the reliable one. He was the loyal, upfront guy who would never bit it around the bush. Either something was or wasn't. And everyone could count on Jason Scott to tell things like they were. But all of the sudden he had become insecure and fickle.

When it came to Emily he was never sure of anything and he always doubted his instincts. But things where supposed to be different with her.

There was so much history between them. They were supposed to know each other better than anyone.

Jason racked his hands over his face.

_The back of his hand caressed her cheeks softly and his eyes locked with hers. Her head was resting over his shoulder and she looked so vulnerable, so broken. He needed to make it right._

_The need stirred inside of him hot and painful, and he couldn't deny it much longer. He needed to kiss her. Slowly his head began to move down until his nose caressed her softly. Her almond shape orbs closed slowly her long lashes brushing against his._

_His lips found hers in a soft exploration. Sweet and soft, the kiss was one of comfort and need, completely unexpected. It was beautiful just like her. _

_"Jason…"_

The memory made him sit up on the bed.

"Trini?"

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**_A/N: Thank you to everyone for the reviews._**


	3. Chapter 3

**III**

_Kiss me fool, if you care__…__If __your words have any meaning._

_Kiss Me Fool, __Fefe__ Dobson_

_The back of his hand caressed her cheeks softly and his eyes locked with hers._

How in the world was she going to be able to forget him, when every time she closed her eyes she remembered that kiss so vividly that it made her ache with need?

_Her heart was melting inside her chest at his close proximity._

It had been weeks... And still she had that strange sensation of déjà vu.

_Slowly his head began to move down until his nose caressed her softly._

She was going crazy. That memory had to be a figment of her imagination.

_Her almond shape orbs closed slowly her long lashes brushing against his. And butterfly wings started to flutter in her stomach._

But still that feeling of excitement and nervousness seem so real.

_His lips found hers in a soft exploration. Sweet and soft, the kiss was one of comfort and need, completely unexpected._

No. It couldn't be real. Jason had never kissed her like that.

_"Jason…"_

Or had he?

_"Just feel…"_

His voice sounded hoarse and far way. But the feeling of his lips stroking hers in a slow hypnotizing rhythm was painfully real and yet so blurry and dreamlike.

With an audible sigh, Trini stood from the leather chair and paced the spacious office.

When she reached the window she stopped to stare out at the city. One of her hands played with the top button of her yellow silk blouse until she decided to leave it unbuttoned.

Her face was flushed from the top of her ears, down to her neck and below her collarbone. The thought of Jason's full lips kissing her until she was out of breath, wrapping his muscular arms around her supple form, lifting her into his lap while his hand cupped her neck and his tongue did very delicious and naughty things to her mouth was just too much to bare.

She seemed to remember bits and pieces of that night.

It had been over ten years ago. They were living in Geneva, during the Peace Conference. Jason and Zack were always overprotective over her with other guys, even more so being so far away from home. But Henry Emerson wasn't intimidated by them. The cute Canadian was a very persistent man. Trini wasn't looking for love. She had left Richie back in Angel Grove before their relationship ever progressed to something more than a few dates and a whole lot of flirting. But most importantly she was still hung up on the only guy she could never have, her best friend.

Henry was nice and she felt really good hanging out with him. They had similar interests and hobbies and Trini began to open up and feel like he could be the one to actually cure her of her 'Jason Syndrom'.

One night, after her afternoon jog with Jason and Zack, they left Zack at his dorm and Jason insisted on walking her to her door. They were up the sidewalk near the cafeteria and that's when they saw him. Mild mannered Henry Emerson was pinning Felicia Harvey, a bubbly redhead, to the grass in a passionate kiss under a weeping willow. Trini had been heartbroken. And Jason had been utterly pissed. He was ready to pounce on Henry and make him pay. But Trini wouldn't allow it. She begged him to leave it alone and to please take her out of there.

After hours of wondering around, they ended up at Jason's dorm room where he bought a bottle of tequila José Cuervo from his roommate Ramón, the Mexican youth ambassador.

They went back to her dorm and started to drink…

_"How do I drink this?" She asked._

_"Here." Jason said putting the salt shaker and plate of lime wedges on the floor in front of her. "First you have to put some salt on your wrist and lick it. Then you down your drink and after that you suck on the lime." _

_Trini did as he said and as soon as the burning liquid went down her throat she began to cough. _

_"Are you alright?" _

_"Yes. Let's do this. Pour me another one." _

_Jason looked at her doubtful. "Are you sure you want to…" _

_"Jason, would you shut up and pour me another one." _

_"Yes ma'am." He smiled at her bossy attitude._

_Dropping the salt on her wrist, Trini picked up her glass and went down the list. "Lick the salt." And she pulled her wrist to her mouth. "Drink the shot." She said as she downed the liquid. "And suck on the lime." As soon as she did, she began to cough again. _

_Jason followed her and drank another shot. By the third one Trini was a little loopy. The burning of the alcohol was still burning her throat each time._

_Preparing the fourth shot, Trini poured the salt and started to lick the inside of her wrist, followed by the shot of tequila. _

_"Whoa, be careful there Angel." _

_Jason was sitting next to her on the floor_

_She started to cough as soon as the liquid started to go down her throat. _

_Jason ran his hand down her back in a sweet comforting caress. _

_When she looked up at him he had a sweet caring smile on his face and something stirred inside of her._

How could she forget that night?

"Maybe because you downed half a bottle of tequila…"

Trini ran her hands over her face trying to calm down the nerves that were bubbling in the pit of her stomach. One of her hands pressed down on her belly willing the moth flies away.

Did he remember? Why hadn't Jason said anything?

He must've been mortified of her behavior.

How was she going to be able to face him the next time they saw each other? Oh God and that was probably going to be at his weeding…

"Kwan, you have a call on line two."

Her assistant stood at the door waiting for a reply, but Trini wasn't even aware of her presence.

"Hey, Kwan."

When Trini didn't turn around, the older woman tried again a little louder.

"Kwan!"

Trini turned around to face her assistant with a blank expression.

"Sorry, what?"

"You have a call on line two. A Mr. Scott, from California."

The color drained from Trini's face in a second. Her hands started to tremble incessantly and her eyes were wide open in shock.

"You okay, darling?"

"No. I- I can't take that call, Martha. Tell him I- I was called into a meeting and I can't be disturbed."

Trini walked back to her chair. Her hand was on the lobe of her ear pulling at her earring. She bit her lip as her eyes dropped to the phone in front of her and then at the picture of her friends in a nice frame beside it. She found Jason's brown eyes and her heart did a double flip on her chest.

"Tell him to leave a message and that you'll give it to me as soon as you can."

"You sure darling? Jason Scott is number one in your 'doesn't matter what I'm doing I'll answer their call' list."

The doubt was written all over her face. What if something was wrong back home? What if he needed her? What if it was a Power Ranger emergency? She thought about it for a minute, but still she didn't feel strong enough to deal with him right now.

"I'm sure Martha. Tell him you couldn't get a hold of me and to please leave me a message."

"Okay."

When the older woman walked out of the office, Trini sank onto her chair and dropped her head into her hands.

Jason dropped the phone on its cradle and sat back on his chair.

He'd been trying to get in touch with Trini for days and the task was proving to be impossible. At home he always got her answering machine. Her cell always put him directly to voicemail and at her office she was always either out or in a meeting. If he didn't know any better, he would think she was avoiding him.

But that was just ridiculous. There was no reason for her to do that. And even if there were, Trini was just not that type of woman.

Besides, if she did answer, what was he supposed to say?

That he had a vague memory of taking advantage of her one drunken night? Or maybe that he hadn't been able to sleep a full night without imagining her sitting in his lap, her hands playing with the short hair at his nape.

_Her almond shape orbs closed slowly her long lashes brushing against his._

He ran his hand over his eyes at memory.

_His lips found hers in a soft exploration. Sweet and soft, the kiss was one of comfort and need, completely unexpected._

Unwillingly, his tongue darted out and liked his lips. For a second he could taste the mix of tequila, salt and lime with a faint taste of sweetness uniquely hers.

If he kept remembering that kiss he was going to go mad.

_"Jason…"_

It was completely absurd of him to obsess about something he didn't even know if it was real.

_"Just feel…"_

But damn if it didn't feel real.

Jason stood up from his chair and paced his office. One of his hands was massaging the back of his neck.

What was happening to him? He couldn't stop thinking about her. And it wasn't in a 'we are best friends since childhood and ex Power Rangers' way, but in the 'there was always something more between us and I didn't see it' way.

Emily, is fiancé was putting pressure on him. Counting down the days left until Valentine's Day. That was his deadline. If he didn't propose to her then, she would pack her bags and disappear from his life and this time it would be forever.

And still he couldn't do it.

He couldn't ask Emily to marry him, when he wasn't sure about his feelings for her. He loved her. That much was true. But he didn't think he was in love with her. Not when all she did was question his judgment. He couldn't seem to feel at peace with her when she was nagging him about his friends and his work. It was pretty difficult to understand that a woman that swore she loved him unconditionally was always putting conditions to how much she could deal with his life style.

In the other hand, there was Trini. He loved her too. But then he remembered her sweet smile, her soulful eyes and strong countenance… She was always there for him, willing to give everything up in a second to help him. She was always willing to listen and give her advice without judging him. They had a lifetime of memories together. They shared a secret, not many could understand. He found himself happy and at peace with himself whenever they were together.

Was he in love with her?

"What the hell am I going to do?"

"I'd recommend that you stop talking to yourself out loud or people will finally realize how wacko you really are."

Jason turned around to face the man standing at the door. It had been a couple of months since they had seen each other face to face. But he always seemed to show up when Jason needed him the most.

"Dr. O. What brings you to the humble town of Angel Grove?"

"Had a meeting down at the Education District and thought, what the hell might as well stop by and see the ingrate that dares to call himself my best friend."

Tommy walked up towards Jason and gave him a slight hug. When they pulled apart he noticed Jason's face and frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Jason moved back to his chair and signaled Tommy to take a sit as well.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Jason, it's me. I might live two and a half hours from here. We might not see each other for months at a time, but I'm still your best friend."

Jason avoided looking Tommy in the eyes.

"Come on spill it. Is it Emily?"

Jason looked toward the picture of his girlfriend he had on his desk. His eyes lingered on her blue eyes and her easy smile, but he couldn't avoid moving his eyes to the picture of his friends that lay next to it.

His arms were around Trini's waist, he was holding her close, her back against his chest. His chin was resting on her shoulder and they were both smiling brightly.

The memory of the feel of his arms around her, made his stomach clench.

The change in his friends face didn't go unnoticed by Tommy.

"How long do you have until you have to get back?"

"I'm not in a hurry. I have as long as you need."

Jason gave his friend a slow smile and stood from his chair.

"Want to go for a walk?"

Tommy frowned at Jason's statement, but followed his best friend out of the office.

**_Hours Later…_**

They were hiking up the mountains where the ruins of the Command Center were supposed to be. It was cold and their attire made for board meetings and litigation not for outside sports. But neither of them said a thing.

Jason had driven them to the city limits. As soon as he parked the car and got out to start walking, Tommy knew where he was headed. But he wasn't clear on the reason why they were there. Jason had started to recount the events of the first time they became rangers. Tommy had heard about the earthquake and the beams of light that took them to the Command Center for the first time, but then Jason broke into a tale of how the five young teenagers walked back to Angel Grove after their first battle as Power Rangers.

He could see something wasn't right with Jason, but wasn't quite sure what exactly. The depiction of the eerily quiet night as the five friends walked back from experiencing the life altering decision of becoming superheroes, made him feel even more proud of the original five Power Rangers. He talked about each of his friends with love and pride. But his voice seemed to take a different tone when he mentioned one friend in particular.

Tommy looked up at his friend as they walked together up the mountain. For the first time since he walked into the office, Tommy saw a spark in Jason's eyes. And it got there the second he mentioned Trini Kwan.

"We were pretty close, the five of us. Always hanging out together at the Youth Center, going to the movies, having sleepovers..."

Jason stopped and looked down at the city below them. Tommy stood next to him.

"But Trini and I always had this special bond, something more than friendship. Something that was special between us. No matter how far away we are from each other or how long it's been since we've talk... We just pick right up were we left off."

Tommy had the feeling Jason wasn't expecting answers from him. So he just let him get everything out.

"I always knew she was beautiful. To be truthful, I even thought of asking her out more than a few times. But timing was always wrong." He sighed.

Jason took a few pebbles in his hands and started to throw them far away. "When I met Emily, we were both vulnerable. I needed someone to lean on and she needed someone to protect her. We gravitated to each other naturally and everything happened like clockwork. It seemed like we were made for each other."

Jason turned around and met Tommy's eyes for the first time. "But now I realize that I changed myself into someone I don't even recognize anymore to fit into the shape of the man Emily wanted me to be." Jason gave a bitter laugh. "It's only now that I can see how much I've grown to resent her for that."

After a long silence, Jason spoke again. But the words were spoken softly as if he was afraid to say it out loud. "I- I don't want to marry her." Jason's gaze traveled up to meet Tommy's. "I'm not in love with Emily."

For some strange reason, Tommy wasn't surprised at his best friend revelation. He had seen Jason's reluctant demeanor when Emily started to hint about wanting to get married. He had been present for the fights and disagreements, for the jealousy and exaggerated demands the blond put Jason through.

"What do you want to do? Are you going to break things off with Emily?"

Jason seemed to ponder the questions for a second and without another word he turned on his heels and started back along the path toward his car. Tommy followed silently. After they made their way to the city, instead of heading back to Jason's office they drove pass the building.

"Where are we going?" Tommy asked.

"Back to my place. I need to grab a bag and leave Emily a message."

Tommy was utterly confused. But before he could ask his friend, he found Jason's brown eyes sparkling with hope.

"I'm going to New York City. I need to see Trini."

* * *

**_Sorry for the wait guys. I've been trying to post this chapter since before Valentine's Day, but the site has been giving me lots of trouble. _**

**_I'll try and post the next chapter soon. _**

**_Thanks for the reviews, it means a lot._**


	4. Chapter 4

**_AN: I'm sorry for the wait. I was real busy this past month preparing for the presentation of my Thesis... Which by the way I passed last week!! I have my Master's Degree!! Anyway I just wanted to thank everyone that reads and reviews this story. I promise I'll try to update more often and I swear we'll get to the good stuff soon..._**

**_

* * *

_**

**IV**

_Playing it cool is so unfair.  
Why this veil of secrecy?_

_Kiss Me Fool, Fefe Dobson_

"Why would he do that?" Aisha asked worriedly.

"Tommy didn't really say." Rocky answered truthfully

"Well I have a theory…"

They all sat around the table waiting for Adam to finish his thought, but he just sat back and took another drink of coffee.

"Adam." Tanya prompted her former boyfriend.

"What?" He said trying to hide his smirk.

"Aren't you going to tell us that theory of yours?" Aisha asked him from across the table.

"I said I had a theory. I didn't say I was going to share it with you."

"Then what was the point of bringing it up?" Rocky said with a sideways glance at his best friend.

"Tease you all mercifully and point out that even though I was a frog, I'm still smarter than the lot of you."

"Adam, honey… If you don't speak up soon, I will tell every cop in your district about that time you had to walk down Main Street wearing nothing but your flip flops and green bandana."

He turned around to look at his ex girlfriend, with a slight frown. "You wouldn't dare."

"Yeah, I would. So either talk or be prepared to be mocked by the entire Angel Grove Police Department."

Tanya finished her statement and gave him a charming smile before she added. "Sweetie."

"That's low, even for you."

"But you'll still love me in the morning. So spill it."

Rocky smirked at his oldest friend while Aisha gave Tanya a high five. Adam grumbled something and gulped down the rest of his coffee. The three of them stared back in question.

"What was that?" Aisha prompted.

"He probably went to cetrinstotelherhelikser."

"Adam, are you purposely trying to get your ass kicked? 'Cause I can do that you know." Aisha threatened with a raced brow.

"Geez, what's with all the violence? I just said that Jason probably went to see Trini to tell her he likes her."

Rocky, Aisha and Tanya stared at him wide eyed for a while and then they all burst out into laughter. Adam looked at his friends as if they were losing their minds, until finally Rocky's laughter subsided enough for him to speak.

"That's your big theory? That Jason went to New York City to see Trini and tell her he likes her? Newsflash, Frogger… She knows he likes her. We all know he likes her. They know each other since they were in the sandbox."

"They are best friends." Aisha added.

"Ex-teammates." Tanya supplied.

"Pals."

"Buddies."

"Soul mates?" Adam said with a smirk.

Everyone stared at him as if he had grown a second head or if he was one of Lord Zedd's monsters.

"What are you talking about, Adam?" Aisha asked him exasperated.

"Guys, are you really that dense that you can't see the sparks flying between them every time they are in the same room together? Hell, every time you mention the others name to either one!"

"Well of course. They are best friends. They lived together in Europe for two years and saved the world from evil together." Tanya said quietly.

"They hardly get to see each other anymore and it's only natural that they miss each other." Aisha explained.

"Come on 'Sha. The longing looks, the pretty blush all over Trini's face every time he hugs her, the way he speaks about her all longingly and melancholic… The damn photo you took the last Christmas we spent together he's all over her and they are freaking glowing. Those 

two are head over heels in love with each other. And I for one am glad that Jason took off those damn blinders the blond biker babe had over his eyes for the past ten years."

"How long have you been thinking about this theory of yours?" Rocky asked.

"Since I met them over ten years ago." Adam clarified.

"And you are only telling us know?" Tanya said in outrage.

"Well, I thought it was pretty obvious and that we didn't speak about it because it wasn't any of our business."

"What?" Aisha squeaked. "Of course this is our business. They are our friends. We've had to deal with Miss Biker Babe all this time because we though she made Jason happy. We've watch Trini forfeit her love life and throw herself into her work because we thought it was what she wanted."

"All the while they have been miserable. That's so not cool, Adam." Tanya said with an alarmed tone.

"Whoa, hold it right there. This is not my fault."

"You should've said something sooner." Aisha stood abruptly from the table. "Come on Tanya. We have to call Kimberly and e-mail Kat."

"What are you guys going to do?" Adam asked worriedly.

"We are going to fix this. We have to get Jason and Trini together." Aisha said grabbing her coat.

"Not cool, Adam." Tanya said as she grabbed her purse and followed her best friend out of the Café.

Adam turned to look at Rocky, who was shaking his head while was sitting back on his chair drinking his soy latte.

"Don't look at me. You where the one to open Pandora's box."

**xx**

February was not a good month to travel to New York City.

Well to be fair it wasn't exactly February's fault he was stuck in Chicago.

The snow storm sweeping the Northeastern border of the States was the one responsible for his current predicament.

Jason sat up on the plastic chair and pulled his coat tighter. His gaze traveled up to the wall to wall glass window and noticed that the snow had picked up again.

_"We better head back. It's going to start snowing any minute now." _

Her voice traveled back to his ears and he turned his head waiting to find her standing next to him. But she wasn't there. He turned his eyes back to the falling snow and the memory of the week they spent in Prague for a Peace Conference Assembly, assaulted him once again.

They were walking side by side, the crisp winter air filling his senses. He could separate the different aromas surrounding them. The smell of the hot cocoa she was drinking, the sweet hint of freshly made pie from the bakery across the street and the mix of sugar and spice uniquely hers…

_"And how would you know? We've been here for a week and there hasn't been a hint of snow yet." _

_"I can feel it." _

_He turned to look at her then. She was wearing a heavy white coat over a lighter yellow one and a black turtleneck sweater, finished by leather black gloves that matched her boots. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her face was flushed by the cold night air. _

_"You can feel it? Are you changing careers now? Going from Politics and International Relations to Meteorology?"_

_She let out a soft laugh. "No, I don't think I'm ready to stand in front of a green screen and predict that 'soft downpours of rain will be moving north in the next few hours'. But I do feel it. Can't you smell it? It's in the air. It's going to start snowing any minute now."_

_Jason looked down and laughed softly. "Who would've thought that practical, reasonable Trini Kwan was going to turn out to be such a romantic?"_

_She bumped him with her hip softly as they walked down the street. "I am not a romantic."_

_"Weren't you the one just now proclaiming to smell the snow in the air?"_

_"Whatever. Just wait and see. If we wonder too far and it starts snowing, you'll be responsible to take me back safely to the hotel."_

_Jason turned his head and captured her brown almond shape eyes. "Don't you know by now? I would die, before I let anything bad happen to you." _

_Trini stopped in his tracks her eyes darkening. "Don't say that." _

_"Why not? It's true. You'll always be…"_

_"Stop! Just don't… If something ever happened to you because of me I'll never forgive myself. I can't even fathom the idea of losing you, so just don't say that ever again."_

_Her last statement was emphasized by a single tear falling down her face._

_Jason was standing face to face with her and his heart started to beat faster at the sign of her tears. Taking one step closer towards her he reached up and cupped her face in his hand in a gentle caress. _

_"It's okay. I won't say it again. But I won't take it back, Trini. I would do anything for you."_

_"Why?" Her voice was barely a whisper._

_"Because you are very important to me, you are my best friend and it doesn't matter how far away apart we are... I'll always look out for you."_

_They stood there looking at each other. After a long silence a smile tugged in Trini's lips when a snow flake fell from the sky and landed between them. Jason blinked back in surprise as they both looked up to find snow falling down from the clouds over them._

_Trini pulled her hand in front of her and a snowflake fell in her open palm. She looked at him with a knowing smile. "Told you it was going to snow." _

_His eyes found her orbs shining with mischief and something inside him dropped and a need started to grow deep in his heart. Before he could do something completely wrong, Jason walked around Trini and started to walk back. She turned to watch him go but didn't follow him._

_Jason stopped and looked back offering her a hand. "Are you coming?" _

_She gave him a smile and trotted toward him. She took his hand and he pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. _

"We repeat, Flight 321 to New York City, has been canceled. All passengers waiting to board move to the desk for more details."

Jason was startled out of his memories by the announcement. With one last look out the window he grabbed his luggage and walked towards the airline's desk.

**xx**

Trini's head lifted to find someone standing at the door.

The pencil she was holding dropped on her desk and rolled over the edge and into the floor.

"What are you doing here?"

"I had the feeling that you needed a friend right about now."

Trini stood from her chair and walked around her desk drawing a smile on her lips.

"I'm so glad you are here."

"Are you going to stand there all day? Aren't you going to hug your best friend?"

Both of them broke out into giggles the second they became entwine in a tight hug.

"I've missed you so much, Kimberly."

"I know, honey. I've missed you too."

Trini stood back to watch the petite brunette from head to toe. Kimberly Heart was the definition of a fashionista if there ever was one. From her four inch fuchsia heels, along her shapely legs and high waist black pencil skirt and her equally fuchsia pink blouse. Kimberly looked as if she had walked straight out of a Couture editorial spread, even if she was only five feet tall.

Well, five feet and four inches in those dangerously high heels she was wearing.

"So, are you going to invite me in or are we going to stand here all day?"

"Sorry. I'm still in shock. I didn't expect you back for a few months."

"Actually, I'm not back, back. This is just a pit stop, if you will. We are heading to LA actually. The Company is sponsoring some award shows and we have to meet with three high profile movie stars and create high fashion dresses for them in three days."

"Who would've thought? Little Kimmie Heart, who used to play dress up when we were 5, is now playing dress up with high profile movie stars."

"It's a glamorous job, and someone has to do it." She said with a sassy grin.

"How long are you staying?"

"Until tomorrow morning, all flights in and out of JFK were cancelled due to the snow storm heading this way."

Trini turned her chair sideways to look out of her window and her eyes flashed in surprised at the snowflakes falling outside.

"I didn't even notice that it was snowing already. I've been cooped up here for the past 18 hours finishing this exposition and I'm nowhere near finish."

Kimberly took in Trini's appearance and frowned. The once lively Asian was now a mess of gray. The only color that gave her some resemblance of youth was her yellow turtle neck. The long straight hair was pulled back in a bun and her face was clean of any makeup.

"But it's not as if I have somewhere else to go. It's better to use the time doing something productive." Trini finished with a heavy sigh.

"What has happened to you?" Kimberly asked appalled at her best friend's demeanor.

Trini looked up with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"What has happened to you to turn you into this?"

"Turn me into what?" Trini was not really following Kimberly's train of thought.

"Into this shell of the old you." Kimberly said outraged.

Trini's eyes grew wide at the words. Once the shock subsided, annoyance settled in.

"Well excuse me for not being a social butterfly. But I decided to work in something that I'm good at and that doesn't require me to wear deadly tall heels and ridiculously tight clothes!"

"That's so not what I'm talking about, and you know it. Trini, working for the United Nations doesn't translate into becoming a grey spinster. You don't necessarily have to wear old lady's suites and mustard color turtlenecks. I know you, and I see right through the façade of what you are trying to do."

"Oh, the Zen of Kimmie. This is going to be real good."

"You are hiding."

"Right, that's why I walk to work every morning and go for a run in central park every afternoon. Try again."

"You know what, cynicism doesn't become you. You damn well know what I'm talking about. This is exactly the same thing you did after you came back from Switzerland. You hid yourself from finding a relationship. Ugly clothes, hardly any makeup, that good awful granny bun in your hair… I've seen it all before and they don't scare me. Not even that 

unblinking stare your trying to use to intimidate me. So cut the crap and tell me what's wrong."

After a long pause, Trini let out a long sigh and ran her hands over her face. When she met Kimberly's eyes a lone tear fell from her lashes.

"I feel alone and hurt and I just want to crawl in bed with a pint of rocky road ice cream and guacamole chips and watch sappy romantic movies for a week."

"Oh, honey…"

Kimberly ran her hands over Trini's, but the tall Asian quickly broke the contact and pushed her chair back, her hands quickly drying the tears away.

"But that's not an option. I have to pull myself together and I have to do my job and that's exactly what I'm trying to do. So excuse me if I don't feel like putting on makeup or blow drying my hair in the morning."

"You know that's not what this is about. This is about you not losing yourself. You have such an amazing personality, you are so beautiful… Why are you sabotaging that? Why do you feel like pushing people away?"

"Because I don't want to keep getting hurt!" Trini's voice broke.

"Well damn it and I thought I needed therapy. Come on, let's go."

Kimberly stood from her chair and grabbed Trini's hand.

"What? No, I haven't finished the exposition and I have a deadline…"

"I don't care a horse bottom! We are getting out of here now, I only have 10 hours before my flight and we have to get back the real Trini Kwan."

**xx**

She sat on the bed, the note still between her hands. Anger coursing through her veins.

He was not going to do this to her. She was not going to lose nearly ten years of her life.

She was going to wait a few days, let him think he won and then she was going to hit hard.

Jason Lee Scott was going to marry her…

She was going to make sure of that.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone that replies to my fic. I'm happy that you guys like it. This chapter will be a turning point for the story. I'm not too sure of how it turned out, but I sure hope you enjoy it.**_

_**Feedback is greatly appreciated!**_

* * *

**V**

_Tell me who should I be to make you love me?  
Tell me what does it mean to be alone?_

_Kiss Me Fool, Fefe Dobson_

The door to the guest bedroom opened with a loud thud and the petite brunette tumbled out into the hallway. Blindly making her way into the kitchen, she pushed herself up into one of the barstools lining the breakfast nook.

Trini didn't even acknowledge Kimberly's presence, while she poured a cup of hot coffee, spread cream cheese on a fresh bagel and talked on the phone that was currently between her right ear and shoulder.

"Its 15 pages long and I already proofed it. Yes, I'll make it to the two o'clock meeting."

The tall Asian twirled around and smiled down at her best friend putting the coffee mug down in front of her, followed by the plate of bagels and the creamer.

"I'm fine Martha. Yes, well I didn't have a choice. Yes, she's kind of a force to be reckoned with. I'll be sure to give her your message. I'll see you this afternoon. Thank you."

Kimberly eyed Trini with an expression filled with amusement and exasperation.

"Can you tell me, how in the world can you be so fresh and chipper this early in the morning after only four hours of sleep?"

Trini smiled over the rim of her cup of tea as she took a sip of the hot liquid, unfolded the paper and quickly took in the day's headlines.

"Actually that would be two hours of sleep. I had to finish that exposition I was writing when you kidnapped me. I had to fax it to the office first thing in the morning."

Kimberly took a bite of her bagel and pulled at the social session of the paper.

"What time is it anyway?"

Trini glanced at the microwave clock and shook her head. "You still have time until you have to be at JFK."

After a prolonged silence, Kimberly ventured a look towards her friend. Trini was finishing her tea while she read over some of the news. She looked relaxed, nearly peaceful. But Kimberly couldn't help but wonder if it was the wall back in place. The front of a self imposed exile.

Finishing the last of the tea, Trini dropped the cup to the side. Kimberly quickly averted her gaze back to the pages lying in front of her. Trini curved up her brow and glanced at the petite brunette.

"Just say it already."

Kimberly found Trini's gaze with a frown. "I don't know what…"

"Oh, drop it. You were never a good liar. And really, trying that lame excuse on me it's a travesty. So come on spill it."

"Gah! I hate you." Kimberly said flinging her arms in the air with a little pout.

"No, actually, you love me. Now out with it." Trini leaned on the counter and crossed her arms over chest and her long legs at the ankles.

Kimberly stood from her sit and walked around the island in the middle of the kitchen. She dropped the empty coffee mug on the sink and stood mimicking Trini's stance.

"Are you okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday we spent four hours wondering around a closed department store, shopping for some amazing clothes. We bought beautiful shoes, bags and scarves. We came back here and I did your hair and you did my nails and we ate rocky road ice cream and guacamole chips. We laughed, we cried and we fell asleep like old times. But I need to know if you are okay. Today is Valentine's Day, if you need me just say the word and I will call LA and tell them that something more important came up."

Trini smiled softly in between the tears silently falling down her cheeks.

"Honey, what is wrong? Why are you so sad?" Kimberly said at the same time she moved to envelope Trini in a hug.

"I just feel so alone sometimes."

"That's it. I'm calling LA and I'm staying here…"

"No. Don't do that. It's alright. I'm going to be alright. What we did last night. That was exactly what I needed."

"Seriously, Trini look at you. You used to be this vibrant woman, energetic. What happened to the first yellow ranger? The girl that was brave enough to conquer her fear of heights, to fight against evil monster's that wanted to conquer Earth."

"Well she grew up, and realized that life is not an action adventure TV show or even a movie."

"Okay, I'll give you that. Our youth wasn't exactly the most normal. But at least we had a purpose. We were chosen to do great things."

"Until I got scared and decided to run away."

"You think that's what we thought? We all knew that's not what happened. It was your time to go and help the world in another way. And you took that opportunity and you ran with it. Trini, you have traveled the world and you have helped less fortunate people to live a better life."

"But in throwing myself into my work, I managed to alienate myself from my family, my friends… From love."

"You could still take that bull from the horns. I'm sure there are a lot of men out there that would be honored if you even cared to glance their way."

"The sad thing is that there's only one man out there I want... Scratch that. There's only one man out there that I love. And he's never going to love me back, at least not the way I love him."

"So this is you, losing hope and giving up." Kimberly asked her friend.

"That's the thing Kimberly." Anger was bubbling inside of Trini as she uncrossed her legs and dropped her arms to her sides as she made her way around the kitchen nearing the door.

Trini turned around to face her best friend. "There's nothing to give up. I'm just acknowledging the facts. I love Jason and he loves Emily. He's going to marry her, they are going to have beautiful babies together and live happily ever after. And I'm just going to sit by the side lines and watch him be happy. Isn't that what best friends are supposed to do?"

Kimberly was getting mad at her friend's denial. "I don't know. Maybe is high time you stopped being the good girl. Maybe is time you did something selfish like board a plane to Angel Grove and marched up to his home and knock some sense into him. I think it's time you stopped being the martyr and give him a choice."

"What? What choice, Kim? I'm not a choice for him. I've never even been in the running."

Rising her voice, Kimberly added. "Then stop crying for something it's never going to happen!"

The petite brunette stood in her full height and walked around Trini and out to the hallway. Trini followed her into the living room.

Kimberly took a picture frame from the mantle and shoved it at Trini's face.

Trini stared at Jason's smiling face, his arms wrapped around her.

"This right here, this is what you deserve. To be happy, to feel loved and cherished by a good man, but only if this is the man you want to go fight for him. If you are not willing to do that, then stop crying yourself to sleep at night and stop feeling sorry for yourself."

Trini was stunned at Kimberly's words.

Pushing the picture frame in Trini's hands, Kimberly walked toward her bedroom. She turned around just a moment and looked over her shoulder at her friend, her voice calm and nearly broken with unshed tears.

"I just don't want you to make the same mistake I did, Trini. Real love, it comes around once. That if we are really lucky. Don't let it go without a fight, or you'll kick yourself for it every time you look at yourself in the mirror."

Kimberly turned around and walked into her room closing the door.

Trini stood in the middle of her apartment looking down at the picture in her hands for a long time, wondering if she was strong enough. Wondering if she was ready to fight… If she was ready to win.

/-/

The plane ride was long, way too long…

And quiet, maybe too quiet. Too much time to think.

And then over think, and doubt his decision.

But then exactly what had been his decision?

He barely remembered his conversation with Tommy. His trip to his apartment was a blur and then he was in Chicago, waiting for a snow storm to subdue so he could fly to New York. And now, thirty hours later he was all of the sudden walking down the aisles of JFK looking for baggage claim 3 so he could find his black duffle bag.

And then what? What was he going to do once he got his bag and walked out of the airport?

Was he supposed to drop by her office unannounced? Or maybe wait until later and go knock on her door? What was he going to say? What the hell was he supposed to do, after flying three thousand miles to see her?

"Call me."

Jason stopped on his tracks and stared ahead. The murmurs from thousands of people around him, the buzz from departing and arriving planes, the loud sirens and blips from computer and other machinery, all of it stopped for a second as he heard her voice clearly from across the terminal.

Jason turned around and looked carefully around the strange faces ready to find her standing close to him.

But Trini wasn't there. He shook his head and rubbed the palm of his hand over his eyes. He was driving himself crazy. Maybe he just needed to book a room at a hotel and rest for a while.

Grabbing his bag from the running belt, he pulled his carry on over his shoulder and pulled the lapels of his coat closer as he made his way towards the sliding doors to find a cab.

/-/

"You didn't have to come with me all the way to the airport." Kimberly said walking side by side Trini trying to not bump into other people.

"I know I didn't have to. But I wanted to."

"Even after everything I said this morning." Kimberly asked with an apologetic smile on her lips as they stood at the boarding line.

"Especially after what you said this morning." Trini turned to look at her friend.

Kimberly sighed and pushed her glasses up to her head. "I'm sorry Tri, I know I was way out of line and…"

"Kim, every single word you said to me was exactly what I needed to hear."

"I'm sorry I… Wait what did you say?"

Trini smiled at the dumbfounded expression in her friends face. "I was being overdramatic and pessimistic. In other words more like you than I'm comfortable with admitting."

"Hey, that was not a nice thing to say."

Trini smiled and bumped her arm on Kimberly's playfully. "You know what I mean. I guess I was just losing hope and will to, like a very wise woman once told me, take the bull by the horns and go for what I want."

Kimberly looked at her friends as they shared a knowing smile. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"It means that I'm seriously giving it a lot of thought."

"To what exactly?"

"Asking for a few days at the office and flying to Angel Grove. See what happens."

Kimberly squealed, jumped and clasped her hands once, before she caught herself.

Trini laughed out loud. "I can't believe you just did that."

"And I can't believe I haven't done that in so long. But really, I'm so happy you snapped out of that funk. I was getting worried."

"I'm not saying I'm completely cured. But thanks to you, I'm getting there."

"I'm glad I could help."

"Next." The attendant called them.

"I guess this is it." Kim said.

"But just for a few days. I'll e-mail you the details once I have them."

"Great. I'll contact Aisha and the gang to let them know." Kimberly said as they hugged each other tight.

"No, don't tell anyone just yet. I want it to be a surprise."

"As you wish. Then take care."

"Thank you for everything. And have a safe flight."

Before Kimberly disappeared in the crowd, Trini called out to her. "Call me."

She turned with a smile and waved. "I will."

/-/

Martha had heard about him a lot. How great he was. What a wonderful friend and intelligent man, strong and brave.

She had seen him in the pictures that adorned her boss's office, and knew he was very handsome. But noting of what she knew about him could actually prepare her for the image of the tall, dark hair man's presence in real life.

His eyes were filled with sympathy and truthfulness. Even though he had been out in the cold of a snowy February afternoon, he still emanated warmth.

And boy did he smell good.

The older woman, old enough to be his mother, couldn't help but daydream about the handsome Jason Scott standing in the lobby outside of Trini Kwan's office with an exotic single yellow rose with red skimming at the edges.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

God and in real life his voice was smooth like a warm chocolate soufflé.

"Ma'am."

Waking from her reverie, Martha smiled up at the younger man. "Yes?"

"Are you sure that Miss Kwan said she would be here at two?"

"Yes, that's what she told me this morning. That she was taking care of some personal stuff and that she would be back for her two o'clock."

Jason moved his shirt cuff up and looked down at his clock. "It's three thirty."

"Thank God her two o'clock canceled."

"Yeah."

He raked his hand over his brown hair and sighed. He turned around and started pacing again.

"I hope you excuse my intrusion, Mr. Scott, but does she know?"

Jason turned to face the older woman with a shock expression. "What?"

"Does Trini know you were coming by?"

Jason exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding. "No, no she doesn't."

Before Martha could say anything more the phone started ringing and she answered. Jason walked back across the room and took a seat grabbing the rose that was lying next to him.

"Good Afternoon."

"_Martha, it's me." _

"You had me worried, darling."

"_I'm very sorry. I know I said I would be there, but I just needed some time to myself."_

"I know you do, darling."

"_Is Mr. Young still waiting for me?"_

Martha looked up to the man sitting in front of her and smiled. But he was too preoccupied to look up and see her.

"No actually he cancelled. But there is…"

_Trini exhaled and interrupted the older woman. "Thank God! Thank you for holding the ship for me. I promise I will be there tomorrow morning. Would you schedule a meeting with Rivers for tomorrow afternoon?"_

"I can certainly try."

"_Good. Thanks so much Martha. Oh, I almost forgot to ask. Did you enjoy your Valentine's Day gift?" _

"Lunch at Le Blanc's was delightful, darling. Thank you so much. I'm just sorry you aren't here to get your gift." Martha looked up to find Jason's gaze on her.

"_Look, I'm sure I'm going to love it as much tomorrow. It won't spoil will it?"_

"No I don't think that's even possible."

"_Good. Then we'll see each other tomorrow. I have to go now."_

"Darling wait, there's someone…"

"_Sorry, Martha the play is about to start. Talk to you tomorrow."_

The line went dead before she even had the time to speak.

Jason stood from his place and walked up to Martha's desk.

"That was Trini, wasn't it? Is she on her way? Did something happen to her?"

"No."

Jason waited for a minute and then asked. "No, it wasn't her? No, she's not on her way? Or no nothing happened?"

The older woman had to hide her smile at his worried tone. "Yes, it was her. No to the other two questions. Trini decided to take the day off. She's not coming."

Jason turned on his heels and grabbed his coat and the forgotten rose.

"Sorry for disturbing you. Have a nice afternoon."

"Mr. Scott."

"Yes."

The older woman scribbled down something in a piece of paper and gave it to him with a small knowing smile.

Jason read the note and reciprocated the smile. With a small wink, he dropped the rose on her desk and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you."

The older woman blushed furiously as she watched him walk away.

/-/

It was a nice day.

Even if she was tired of seeing the couples dressed in matching red attires wondering down the streets of New York City, she still had a nice day.

After dropping Kimberly at the airport, she decided to have lunch at a small little Italian Bistro she loved. Then she took an exhibit down at the Museum of Modern Art. Calling in a few favors, she managed to get a good seat for the Phantom of the Opera. There was no way her life could get any better than this.

Walking out of the theater, she looked up to find that the sky was turning dark already. She arranged her black gloves and smiled.

It was going to snow any minute now.

Looking down she stopped on her tracks, her eyes wide as flying saucers. She had to be dreaming.

Because that could be the only way that Jason Lee Scott could be standing in front of the theater holding a single red rose.


End file.
